WHO Members To Act On Research Financing, Pandemic Preparedness 14/05/2010 by Kaitlin Mara for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment How to proceed with the results of an initiative aimed at finding real alternatives for innovative health research financing is on the agenda at next week’s World Health Assembly (WHA). The assembly also is expected to approve the continuation of a working group on pandemic influenza preparedness.
New WHO Documents Show Results On IP, Innovation, Technology Transfer 11/05/2010 by Kaitlin Mara for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Three new documents from the World Health Organization programme on intellectual property and innovation obtained by Intellectual Property Watch provide new evidence on how technology transfer is working, analyse research prioritisation at the WHO, and indicate progress on a monitoring and evaluation strategy for the programme’s continued implementation, according to a preliminary reading.
Coordination Mechanism Adopted For WIPO Development Agenda Implementation 01/05/2010 by Kaitlin Mara for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment A mechanism to watch the continuing implementation of development-oriented principles into the World Intellectual Property Organization’s work has now been found. For many, the Development Agenda is the most important agreement in WIPO’s recent past, and the mechanism – which will monitor, assess and report on its implementation – was a critical area of importance in ensuring it reaches its full potential.
Negotiators Begin To Find Common Ground In WIPO IP Development Talks 30/04/2010 by Kaitlin Mara for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment A coordination mechanism and a project on transfer of technology will dominate much of the last day of the World Intellectual Property Organization Committee on Development and Intellectual Property, but with two new projects approved the group has already made progress this week, according to sources.
New WIPO Development Agenda Group Seeks Transformation Of UN Agency 26/04/2010 by Kaitlin Mara for Intellectual Property Watch and William New 2 Comments Ongoing efforts to implement the 2007 Development Agenda at the World Intellectual Property Organization took another twist today as a new group was launched representing developing countries seeking full transformation of the United Nations body toward a development-oriented perspective on intellectual property issues.
New WHO Faces On IP, Innovation; Matsoso Named South Africa Health Director 23/04/2010 by William New and Kaitlin Mara for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The World Health Organization’s team on issues of intellectual property and innovation in public health is seeing changes in key personnel, as implementation of the UN health agency’s plan on IP and innovation hits its stride. Malebona Precious Matsoso has been named Director General of Health for South Africa.
Geneva Health Forum Addresses Biotech, Trade, Pandemic Flu 21/04/2010 by Catherine Saez and William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Biotechnology, international trade, and pandemic influenza were among the topics discussed at the outset of this year’s Geneva Health Forum.
Committee Examines Undue Influence, Coordination In WHO Pandemic Flu Response 15/04/2010 by Kaitlin Mara for Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments A review of the World Health Organization’s response to the 2009 pandemic influenza outbreak kicked off this week, with firm statements from those involved in the response that they were not unduly influenced by outside stakeholders. Still, serious questions remain about the coordination effort, as a nearly a year after the pandemic was declared developed countries find themselves having to dispose of excess vaccines while poorer countries are reporting they have yet to obtain as many as they need.
UN Claims Victory In Biodiversity Talks, But Outcome Not Certain 06/04/2010 by Kaitlin Mara for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment The UN Convention on Biological Diversity last month hailed Cali, Colombia as the birthplace of a protocol they hope will lead to an international regime on access and benefit-sharing by their October 2010 deadline. But, while it is clear the late March negotiation in Cali brought significant progress, participants reported difficult disagreements and in the final days, signs that there is yet more work to be done.
ITU In A Converging World — Interview With ITU Strategist Alexander Ntoko 06/04/2010 by Intellectual Property Watch 3 Comments The International Telecommunication Union, based in Geneva, is a 191-member United Nations body. Intellectual Property Watch recently spoke with Alexander Ntoko, a top strategist in the organisation about priorities in this critical year, inclusion of the public interest, and how convergence is bringing more issues related to digital content to the traditional telecom body.